Buckeye Homers Sink Spartans in Finale, 6-2

April 23, 2017

WATCH: Highlights vs. Ohio State

SPARTAN SYNOPSIS

Ohio State shortstop Lilli Piper hit a pair of two-run home runs to help her team to a 6-2 victory over MSU in the series finale between the teams in East Lansing on Sunday. MSU won the series for the second straight season, and is now 24-18 overall, 7-10 in Big Ten play. The No. 25 Buckeyes stopped their two-game skid and improve to 28-13, 11-6 in Conference play.

MSU got RBI singles from Kelcey Carrasco in the first and fourth innings, to take an early lead in the game behind a staff outing from the Spartan pitchers. Krisina Zalewski struck out five over the first three innings and surrendered just one hit, and Bridgette Rainey struck out two in two innings, and also surrendered just one hit. Freshman Jordan Watson took the loss, (7-4) after a save in Friday's game. and the win in relief on Saturday.

Piper's first of the day and a two-run double by Becca Gavin in the sixth made it a 4-2 lead for the visitors. In the seventh, Piper followed a two-out triple by Alex Bayne with a shot to left center to give her team a 6-2 advantage, which MSU could not overcome. Shelby Hursh, who came on in relief in the fourth inning, did not allow a hit in her 3.2 innings of work, keeping the Spartans from a comeback.

MSU has another busy week on tap, with five games on the schedule. MSU hosts Eastern MIchigan on Tuesday, then MSU travels to Mt. Pleasant to take on Central MIchigan on Wednesday.

TOP PERFORMERS

Kelcey Carrasco had RBI singles in the first and fourth inning
Kaitlyn Eveland had a double and scored twice.

QUOTABLE
"I did not think we did a good job at the plate in the early stages of the game, and we let Ohio State stay close - and that's a very good hitting team that finally broke through in the late innings. We only had three hits in the game, but made some pretty good contact, but hit it right to people for easy outs. Again, nothing to take away from Ohio State, because we knew they were going to be hungry and scratch and claw until the end. We have another busy week ahead of us, so we will have to put things in the rear-view mirror and focus on the things we need to do to prepare ourselves for a pair of midweek games."

-- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph

STATS AND STORYLINES

The Spartans struck first, scoring in the bottom of the second when Kaitlyn Eveland doubled, and came home on a base hit by Kelcey Carrasco.

OSU starter Morgan Ray walked two of the first three Spartan batters she faced in the fourth, and Carrasco came up and singled to left to score Eveland from second for a 2-0 MSU lead. The Buckeyes went to Friday starter Shelby Hursh, who retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.

In the top of the sixth, Taylor White legged out an infield single, and went to second after the ump's call of an illegal pitch. Lilli Piper tied the game on a two-run homer to left. A pair of walks later, Becca Gavin hit a two-run double up the into the left-field corner, giving the Buckeyes their first lead of the day, 4-2.

Alex Bayne laced a two-out triple in the top of the seventh, and Piper hit her second round-tripper of the day to make it a 6-2 lead for the Buckeyes.

MSU's pitchers had another staff outing, with Kristina Zalewski (3.0 IP), Bridgette Rainey (2.0) IP) and Jordan Watson all getting time. Zalewski and Rainey each allowed just one hit; Zalewski had five strikeouts and Rainey two. Jordan Watson allowed three earned runs, walking two while allowing five hits.

Next Event

Team Stats

Kelcey Carrasco

Kaitlyn Eveland

Ebonee Echols

McKenzie Long

Players Mentioned

Kelcey Carrasco

Kaitlyn Eveland

Bridgette Rainey

Jordan Watson

Kristina Zalewski